Peshawar High Court hears petition against renaming Arbab Niaz Stadium after Imran Khan
Peshawar High Court hears petition against renaming Arbab Niaz Stadium after Imran Khan
By Nawaz Gohar ; The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday conducted a hearing on a petition challenging the provincial government’s decision to rename the historic Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium after PTI founder Imran Khan.
The petitioner contended that renaming the established stadium after a living political figure violates established guidelines. According to the petition, public assets and national landmarks should not be named after living individuals, and the sudden change of a historic name is legally unjustifiable.
During the proceedings, Justice Syed Arshad Ali observed that there are already existing judgments from the Peshawar High Court and the Balochistan High Court regarding the naming of public properties.
The bench remarked that if the government wishes to honor a personality, it should construct a new stadium and name it accordingly, rather than renaming existing historical assets.
The court has directed the provincial government to submit a detailed report on the matter before the next hearing. The Additional Advocate General requested more time from the court to prepare and file the official response.
Arbab Niaz Stadium remains Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s premier international cricket venue. Between 1984 and 2006, the stadium hosted 15 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 6 Test matches. However, it has been over 18 years since it last hosted an international fixture, with the final match played in February 2006.
